


Quiet

by GalaxyGhosty



Category: JackSepticEye (YouTube RPF), Markiplier (YouTube RPF), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Internal Conflict, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-20
Updated: 2016-03-20
Packaged: 2018-05-27 22:56:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6303418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalaxyGhosty/pseuds/GalaxyGhosty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. “You always did like to run away from your problems.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Quiet

**Author's Note:**

> This was posted on my blog a while back. For one of those word challenges:
> 
> adomania: the sense that the future is coming too quickly
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

He all at once knows and doesn’t know the man sitting on his porch swing.

Though, in some ways, he looks more like a boy. His cheeks are a little rounder with a little more color, eyes a little brighter and the flecks of grey haven’t quite caught the light yet. The scruff of a beard is absent, and his face is smooth and sleek as any young boy’s face would be.

The sun sets and Mark stares.

“You look really uncertain,” Jack says, his shoes toeing the porch, rocking himself back and forth on the swing. “Why’s that?”

“You know why,” Mark answers, but realizes even if Jack knows, he doesn’t. “Don’t you?”

Jack shrugs. “In a way. But maybe you should tell me. So you’ll know, too.”

Mark shakes his head. He looks at the setting sun on the horizon, the blue fading into orange and pink and purple. It blends together and it’s moments like these Mark wishes he could paint, so he could immortalize the image forever.

He glances back at Jack and finally blue eyes fixate on him. Mark can’t stare at him long.

Eye contact broken, he lets out a long sigh. Mark considers going back inside, wondering if maybe it would be better than the following conversation.

“Why so uncertain, Mark?” Jack asks again. “Why are you quitting so easily?”

A sudden flash of anger boils beneath his skin. How dare he, how _dare_ he—as though—as if he hasn’t been trying his entire life—as if he actually _knows_ –

But in a way, he does. But Mark doesn’t want to hear it. He turns around and puts his hand on the door knob, murmuring, “I’m not going to listen to this.”

“You always did like to run away from your problems.”

The metal door knob is too cold in his hands as he grits his teeth. “What was that?”

“You heard me,” Jack says coolly. “Coward.”

“You have _no fucking right_ ,” Mark snaps, turning back on him. “You have no right–!”

But then he stops. It’s not the boy anymore. It’s Jack, his Jack. Familiar. Not a boy anymore. The man. The person he—the person he–

The person he loves.

The green in his hair shines. Mark closes his eyes, exhaling, running his fingers through his own red locks, before he shakes his head.

He opens his eyes. The boy returns.

“Why are you so scared?” the Irish lilt isn’t there. It’s uncomfortable. “What are you scared of?”

“You know what I’m scared of,” Mark whispers. “Please don’t–”

“Say it.”

His throat feels dry. He’s scared of so many things. He’s scared of his future, the next coming years of his life. He’s scared of blinking, and then being fifty years old and not having done any of the things he wanted to get accomplished. But with that, he’s coupled with–

“I’m twenty-six years old,” Mark mumbles. “I’m twenty-six years old and there’s so much I want to do and I’m engaged and I’m scared that I won’t be able to commit. I can't—I can’t be tied down. I’m scared of that. I’m scared of you— _him_. I don’t know.”

His heart races in his chest. His palms grow sweaty. “I’m scared and I don’t think I’m ever going to stop being scared.”

“Will you give it up, then?” Jack asks, slowly. “Will you give it up? Are you strong enough to give it up?”

No. No. “No.”

“Then are you strong enough to keep going?”

His eyes sting. “No.”

Jack smiles.

“You have to be one of those things,” he says. “If you don’t choose, someone will for you. You know who will choose for you.”

Crooked teeth. Green hair. Amazingly blue eyes. Will he choose someone over Mark? Will he choose a happy future over Mark?

He wouldn’t blame him.

“Time is a lot like that setting sun,” Jack murmurs. “You don’t have long. What will you do, Mark? How strong can you be?”

He looks over at him. Mark meets his gaze. Then he offers a shrug. “I don’t know.”

“Just make sure,” Jack says. “You don’t do something you’ll regret.”

Mark blinks. The boy is gone and the porch swing is empty.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always appreciated. Thank you so much for all your support.
> 
> Hit me up at galaxyghosty.tumblr.com!


End file.
